Some members of Yandoit’s community have raised concerns about the name’s link with the historic racist laws in the United States that segregated black and white people.

However, according to the Jim Crow Planning Group, it is unlikely that the naming of Yandoit’s creek has any racist connections. The group says it is more likely the name was an appropriation of the Indigenous name for the area – Jumcra.

Given that, the debate is also considering whether it might be appropriate to rename the creek to its original Aboriginal name.

Holcombe ward councillor Bill McClenaghan said the debate was in early days, with the question of renaming the creek not having come to council yet. However, group member Nikki Marshall said the planning group was debating over whether to change their name.

“The question of the name of the group has come up because some people find the name Jim Crow to be offensive. Because a lot of people are looking back to Indigenous names, we’re wanting to look back at that as well,” she said.

However, not all group members want their name to change – and neither do they want the name of the creek to change.

“My understanding is the creek was named in or about the 1840s. It has been part of the community for generations,” Andrew Killingbeck said.

“There are some people who have been here for five or six generations. There are people who were born on (this creek), fished on it, it’s been part of the social fabric of the community. In no way does what happened in America affect what happened here. That’s American history – this is Australia.”

Cr McClenaghan said while the group was welcome to change its name at any time, changing the name of the creek would be a much longer ordeal.

He said the matter would need to be considered by council and then state government, although renaming the creek Jumcra would fit in with the council’s Indigenous recognition programs. He also said the topic of changing Mt Franklin’s name to the Indigenous Lalgambook might arise.